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American Express The Business Platinum Card vs Gold Card

Both are American Express cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Oct 29

Everything else

  1. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate
  2. Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Dining

  1. Gold Card 8.0% 4x, capped
  2. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Groceries

  1. Gold Card 8.0% 4x, capped
  2. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Electronics stores

  1. The Business Platinum Card 4.0% 2x
  2. Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Home improvement

  1. The Business Platinum Card 4.0% 2x
  2. Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Shipping

  1. The Business Platinum Card 4.0% 2x
  2. Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Flights

  1. Gold Card 6.0% 3x
  2. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Flights · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel 10.0% 5x
  2. Gold Card · American Express Travel 6.0% 3x

Hotels · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel 10.0% 5x
  2. Gold Card · American Express Travel 10.0% 5x

Car rental · portal

  1. Gold Card · American Express Travel 4.0% 2x

Cruises · portal

  1. Gold Card · American Express Travel 4.0% 2x

What the numbers are doing

Gold Card's 4x on dining runs out: it applies to the first $50,000 of dining spend a year, and everything past that earns 1x.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge The Business Platinum Card $895 and Gold Card $325 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: Gold Card takes dining, groceries and flights; The Business Platinum Card takes electronics stores, home improvement and shipping.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseThe Business Platinum Card2.0%
DiningGold Card8.0%
GroceriesGold Card8.0%
Electronics storesThe Business Platinum Card4.0%
Home improvementThe Business Platinum Card4.0%
ShippingThe Business Platinum Card4.0%
FlightsGold Card6.0%
Flights · portalThe Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel10.0%
Hotels · portalThe Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel10.0%
Car rental · portalGold Card · American Express Travel4.0%
Cruises · portalGold Card · American Express Travel4.0%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%
  2. Gold Card — 2.0%

Dining

  1. Gold Card — 8.0%
  2. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%

Groceries

  1. Gold Card — 8.0%
  2. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%

Electronics stores

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 4.0%
  2. Gold Card — 2.0%

Home improvement

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 4.0%
  2. Gold Card — 2.0%

Shipping

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 4.0%
  2. Gold Card — 2.0%

Flights

  1. Gold Card — 6.0%
  2. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%

Flights · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 10.0%
  2. Gold Card · American Express Travel — 6.0%

Hotels · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 10.0%
  2. Gold Card · American Express Travel — 10.0%

Car rental · portal

  1. Gold Card · American Express Travel — 4.0%

Cruises · portal

  1. Gold Card · American Express Travel — 4.0%
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